Brunner Touts New Watchdog PAC

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Just
a few weeks after leaving office, ex-Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer
Brunner is trying to raise awareness about a political action
committee (PAC) she helped create while campaigning last year for the
U.S. Senate nomination.

Courage
PAC is designed to increase grassroots advocacy and citizen activism
on several issues, and perform a watchdog role on Ohio government now
that Republicans fill most statewide offices.

Although
the PAC was formally created in July, its official kickoff was today.

Among
the issues the PAC will be involved with include financial
reform and foreclosures, fair elections, and transparency and
accountability in government.

“Courage
PAC gives frustrated (and happy) voters, regardless of party, a
viable way to speak and be heard over the influence of money for the
sound public policy that benefits many,” its Web site states.
“Courage PAC gives citizens the chance to participate in a
meaningful and effective way in their democracy.

“Citizens
are encouraged to join Courage PAC to gain insight into some of the
complex issues that may not at first appear to directly affect them,”
it adds. “Citizens are encouraged to advocate as individuals by
contacting their government officials, writing letters to the editor,
signing petitions and engaging personally in making their views
known. After all, democracy is at its best when citizens
participate.”

Brunner
was the first woman ever elected as Ohio's secretary of state. While
in that office, she enacted a number of elections reforms aimed at
avoiding some of the controversies and problems that surrounded how
the 2004 presidential election was conducted in the state. The
reforms included requiring
back-up paper ballots at polling stations with electronic voting
machines; and ending the practice of “sleepovers,” the practice
of poll-workers taking voting machines and ballots home with them the
night before election.

Instead
of seeking reelection, Brunner ran in the 2010 Democratic primary for
the U.S. Senate against Lee Fisher. She lost the primary and Fisher
ended up being defeated by Republican Rob Portman in November’s
midterm elections.

In
a message to supporters, Brunner said more citizen involvement is
needed to help counter the expanding corporate influence on politics
and government.

“We
find ourselves in a time of complex change as we strive to shed
ourselves of economic woes and embrace the needs and desires of a new
American demographic paradigm,” Brunner wrote.

“History
has shown that when we speak together, we're stronger than the forces
of money and institutional and established power structures that may
not be as responsive to our needs as they used to be,” she added.